![]() This is called Idiopathic Ventricular Tachycardia, also described as Focal Ventricular Tachycardia (see video below), which accounts for about 10% of all VTs. VT commonly happens in patients with weakened hearts (heart failure) but as with Ventricular Ectopics, VT can also occur in people with normal hearts. VT can impair the ability of the heart to supply blood and may result in palpitations, dizziness and blackouts. ![]() The controlled contraction of the ventricles is important for the heart to pump blood around your body and brain and to maintain a good blood pressure. Some patients feel palpitations which can be unpleasant but will not damage your heart unless extremely frequent.Ī sequence of these ectopics can result in what is called ventricular tachycardia (VT). Most people who have ectopics are completely unaware of them. However, they can be troublesome due to the sensation they sometimes produce. In some people, these can occur while exercising but in others they can occur while sleeping or when relaxing.Įctopic beats are very common and in most people with no other heart disease, they are harmless. Ventricular Ectopics occur when a cluster of cells within the lower chambers of your heart (ventricle) gives rise to the electrical impulse instead of the natural pacemaker of your heart (the sinus node). In patients with very high levels of ventricular ectopy, you may need an ablation procedure to help improve your symptoms and the risk of the heart muscle becoming weaker.Ventricular Ectopics or Normal Heart Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) What are Ventricular Ectopics or Normal Heart VT? In patients where there is concern about coronary artery disease, Dr Nijjer may ask you to have a CTCA or a coronary angiogram.However, if the number of ectopic beats increase on exercise, this can reflect a possible problem with your heart arteries. If your ventricular ectopics are reduced by increasing exertion, this can be a reassuring sign. In patients with frequent ventricular ectopics, Dr Nijjer may ask you to undertake an exercise ECG test. For the vast majority of patients, this will be sufficient to make a diagnosis and treatment can be started. Echocardiography will be used to assess the heart function and look for underlying heart conditions. A very careful assessment has to be made using a combination of 12-lead ECG and ambulatory ECG monitoring.This can be detected on heart scans such as echocardiography or cardiac MRI. Less commonly, in patients with a very high level of ventricular ectopic beats, the extra beats can lead to a worsening of the underlying heart muscle.In some cases, this can progress into episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT). Some patients with very severe coronary artery disease – with heart artery narrowings that are severe enough to reduce the blood supply to the heart muscle, can trigger an excess of ventricular ectopics beats.The majority of ventricular ectopics are benign but in some people, if they are occurring in long runs, they can reflect coronary artery disease. This means extra ectopic beats from the ventricles may be felt more strongly than those from the atria. The ventricles are powerful chambers of the heart with the left ventricle pumping blood to the entire body and the right ventricle pumping blood to the lungs. Premature ventricular contraction (PVC)s – these come from the lower chambers, called the ventricles. These type of ectopics can cluster together and occur as ‘runs’ which can be felt like a ‘fluttering’ in the chest. The atria are smaller chambers and you may not feel all of the ectopic beats. These are generally benign but in some patients, very high levels of these can predict future atrial fibrillation. Premature atrial contraction (PAC)s – these come from the two upper chambers of the heart, called the atria. There are two main types of ectopic beats: Ectopic beats are very common and many people who feel palpitations experience ectopic beats.
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